A technology services provider has launched a mentoring scheme to connect female charity workers who would like to know more about leadership, technology and management roles, in the hope of providing mentorship and access to technology for one billion women.

Avanade, in partnership with a not-for-profit organisation The Aspire Foundation, will be looking for internal mentors to help upskill women, in order to help them and then act as role models to others wanting careers in technology and management.

Vikki Leach, director of corporate citizenship at Avanade, told Computer Weekly: “The Aspire Foundation’s core purpose is to invite women from the charity sector and social enterprise to come in to an online platform and seek support from skilled professionals.

“The purpose of it is to mentor them and provide guidance so they can feel empowered and more upskilled to help those in need.”

The technology services provider hopes that with their partnership with The Aspire Foundation they can leverage its global teams to provide access to technology and mentorship for one billion women by 2020.

“We’re empowering and upskilling The Aspire Foundation, which will, in turn, empower and upskill those in need in the communities we work in,” Leach added.

“We’re also reaching out to our own clients and other corporates, so this is a campaign and a movement. We want to leverage the movement to help The Aspire Foundation reach that goal.”

Avanade has also created a programme with three universities worldwide that will act as scholarships for girls who would not otherwise attend higher education.

“This is another commitment we’ve made to support young women who may have otherwise opted out of education to continue and further their career and their education in Stem [science, technology, engineering and mathematics],” said Leach.

“We’re really building a relationship with these universities, and closing the gap between industry and academia is really important for helping to raise awareness of bringing women into Stem. We’ve got to start now. It starts at school level and goes right the way through.”